Data recording and reproducing technique for multi-layered optical disk system using different compression techniques

Abstract

A data recording and reproducing method for an optical disk data storage system to record data compressed at different data compression rate according to an operator's specification, and to reproduce the recorded data by decompressing. According to the operator's indication, the data is recorded at certain data compression rate in indicated area. The information of the data compression rate and the recorded area is stored as a total of contents (TOC) data. The TOC data is reproduced and stored in a memory after the optical disk is loaded. The recorded data is reproduced by selecting a decoding circuit to decompress the data. The decoding circuit is selected by referring the TOC data to identify data compression rate of the recorded data. Also the TOC data is referred to identify read-in and read-out region of the recorded data. The position of a pick-up when the data recording is started and ended, is recorded as the TOC data to provide random access capability for the data reproduction.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method usable with an optical disk, comprising: 
       designating a first region on the optical disk to store first data associated with a first compression technique;  
       designating a second region different from the first region on the optical disk to store second data associated with a second compression technique, the first compression technique being different from the second compression technique;  
       storing the first data in the first region;  
       storing the second data in the second region; and  
       storing indications of the first and second regions in a table of contents stored on the optical disk.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       storing information on said optical disk indicating the first and second compression techniques.  
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein 
       the optical disk has multiple layers, and  
       the designating the first region comprises designating a location on one of the layers of the optical disk.  
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein 
       the optical disk has multiple layers, and  
       the designating the second region comprises designating a location on one of the layers of the optical disk.  
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       6. A method usable with an optical disk, comprising: 
       retrieving a first indication from the optical disk designating a first region associated with a first compression technique;  
       retrieving a second indication from the optical disk designating a second region associated with a second compression technique and being different from the first region second compression technique being different from the first compression technique;  
       retrieving first data from the first region using the first compression technique; and  
       retrieving second data from the second region using the second compression technique  
       wherein at least one of the first and second indications is retrieved from a table of contents stored on the optical disk.  
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
       retrieving information from said optical disk describing the first and second compression techniques.  
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein 
       the optical disk has multiple layers, and  
       the first indication designates a location on one of the layers of the optical disk.  
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , wherein 
       the optical disk has multiple layers, and  
       the second indication designates a location on one of the layers of the optical disk.  
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 6 , wherein both of the first and second indications are retrieved from the table of contents. 
     
     
       12. An article comprising a storage medium readable by a processor-based system, the storage medium storing instructions to cause a processor to: 
       designate a first region on an optical disk to store first data associated with a first compression technique;  
       designate a second region different from the first region on the optical disk to store second data associated with a second compression technique, the first compression technique being different from the second compression technique;  
       store the first data in the first region;  
       store the second data in the second region; and  
       store indications of the first and second regions in a table of contents stored on the optical disk.  
     
     
       13. The article of  claim 12 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       14. The article of  claim 12 , comprising instructions to cause the processor to: encode uncompressed data to produce the first data. 
     
     
       15. The article of  claim 12 , comprising instructions to cause the processor to: encode uncompressed data to produce the second data. 
     
     
       16. An article comprising a storage medium readable by a processor-based system, the storage medium storing instructions to cause a processor to: 
       retrieve a first indication from an optical disk designating a first region associated with a first compression technique;  
       retrieve a second indication from the optical disk designating a second region associated with a second compression technique and being different from the first region, the second compression technique being different from the first compression technique;  
       retrieve first data from the first region using the first compression technique; and  
       retrieve second data from the second region using the second compression technique,  
       wherein at least one of the first and second indications is retrieved from a table of contents stored on the optical disk.  
     
     
       17. The article of  claim 16 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       18. The article of  claim 16 , wherein both of the first and second indications are retrieved from the table of contents. 
     
     
       19. A computer system comprising: 
       an optical disk drive adapted to receive an optical disk; and  
       a processor coupled to the optical disk drive and adapted to:  
       designate a first region on the optical disk to store first data associated with a first compression technique;  
       designate a second region different from the first region on the optical disk to store second data associated with a second compression technique, the first compression technique being different from the second compression technique;  
       store the first data in the first region;  
       store the second data in the second region; and  
       store indications of the first and second regions in a table of contents stored on the optical disk.  
     
     
       20. The computer system of  claim 19 , wherein the optical disk drive comprises a DVD disk drive. 
     
     
       21. A computer system comprising: 
       an optical disk drive adapted to receive an optical disk; and  
       a processor coupled to the optical disk drive and adapted to:  
       retrieve a first indication from the optical disk designating a first region associated with a first compression technique;  
       retrieve a second indication from the optical disk designating a second region associated with a second compression technique and being different from the first region, the second compression technique being different from the first compression technique;  
       retrieve first data from the first region using the first compression technique; and  
       retrieve second data from the second region using the second compression technique,  
       wherein at least one of the first and second indications is retrieved from a table of contents stored on the optical disk.  
     
     
       22. The computer system of  claim 21 , wherein the optical disk drive comprises a DVD disk drive. 
     
     
       23. The computer system of  claim 21 , wherein both of the first and second indications are retrieved from the table of contents. 
     
     
       24. An article comprising an optical disk storing: 
       first data in a first region of the optical disk, the first data being associated with a first compression technique;  
       second data in a second region of the optical disk, the second region being different from the first region and the second data being associated with a second compression technique different from the first compression technique;  
       a first indication of the first compression technique; and  
       a second indication of the second compression technique,  
       wherein the first and second indications are stored in a table of contents.  
     
     
       25. The article of  claim 24 , wherein 
       the optical disk has multiple layers, and  
       the optical disk stores a third indication of a location of the first region on one of the layers of the optical disk.  
     
     
       26. The article of  claim 25 , wherein the third location is stored in the table of contents. 
     
     
       27. The article of  claim 25 , wherein the optical disk stores a fourth indication of a location of the second region on one of the layers of the optical disk. 
     
     
       28. The article of  claim 25 , wherein the fourth location is stored in the table of contents. 
     
     
       29. An optical disk adapted to be coupled to an optical disk drive and usable in association with a processor coupled to the optical disk drive, said optical disk causing the processor to: 
       designate a first region on an optical disk to store first data associated with a first compression technique;  
       designate a second region different from the first region on the optical disk to store second data associated with a second compression technique, the first compression technique being different from the second compression technique;  
       store the first data in the first region;  
       store the second data in the second region; and  
       store indications of the first and second regions in a table of contents stored on the optical disk.  
     
     
       30. The optical disk of  claim 29 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       31. An optical disk adapted to be coupled to an optical disk drive and usable in association with a processor coupled to the optical disk drive, said optical disk causing the processor to: 
       retrieve a first indication from an optical disk designating a first region associated with a first compression technique;  
       retrieve a second indication from the optical disk designating a second region associated with a second compression technique and being different from the first region, the second compression technique being different from the first compression technique;  
       retrieve first data from the first region using the first compression technique; and  
       retrieve second data from the second region using the second compression technique, wherein the first and second indications are retrieved from a table of contents stored on the optical disk.  
     
     
       32. The optical disk of  claim 31 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       33. A method usable with an optical disk, comprising: 
       designating a first region on the optical disk to store first data associated with a first compression technique;  
       designating a second region different from the first region on the optical disk to store second data associated with a second compression technique, the first compression technique being different from the second compression technique;  
       storing the first data in the first region;  
       storing the second data in the second region; and  
       storing indications of the first and second regions in a control data region of the optical disk.  
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising: 
       storing information on said optical disk indicating the first and second compression techniques.  
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 33 , wherein 
       the optical disk has multiple layers, and  
       the designating the first region comprises designating a location on one of the layers of the optical disk.  
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 33 , wherein 
       the optical disk has multiple layers, and  
       the designating the second region comprises designating a location on one of the layers of the optical disk.  
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 33 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       38. A method usable with an optical disk, comprising: 
       retrieving a first indication from the optical disk designating a first region associated with a first compression technique;  
       retrieving a second indication from the optical disk designating a second region associated with a second compression technique and being different from the first region, the second compression technique being different from the first compression technique;  
       retrieving first data from the first region using the first compression technique; and  
       retrieving second data from the second region using the second compression technique,  
       wherein the first and second indications are retrieved from a control data region of the optical disk.  
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 38 , further comprising: 
       retrieving information from said optical disk describing the first and second compression techniques.  
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 38 , wherein 
       the optical disk has multiple layers, and  
       the first indication designates a location on one of the layers of the optical disk.  
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 38 , wherein 
       the optical disk has multiple layers, and  
       the second indication designates a location on one of the layers of the optical disk.  
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 38 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       43. An article comprising a storage medium readable by a processor-based system, the storage medium storing instructions to cause a processor to: 
       designate a first region on an optical disk to store first data associated with a first compression technique;  
       designate a second region different from the first region on the optical disk to store second data associated with a second compression technique, the first compression technique being different from the second compression technique;  
       store the first data in the first region;  
       store the second data in the second region; and  
       store indications of the first and second regions in a control data region of the optical disk.  
     
     
       44. The article of  claim 43 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       45. The article of  claim 43 , comprising instructions to cause the processor to: encode uncompressed data to produce the first data. 
     
     
       46. The article of  claim 43 , comprising instructions to cause the processor to: encode uncompressed data to produce the second data. 
     
     
       47. An article comprising a storage medium readable by a processor-based system, the storage medium storing instructions to cause a processor to: 
       retrieve a first indication from an optical disk designating a first region associated with a first compression technique;  
       retrieve a second indication from the optical disk designating a second region associated with a second compression technique and being different from the first region, the second compression technique being different from the first compression technique;  
       retrieve first data from the first region using the first compression technique; and  
       retrieve second data from the second region using the second compression technique,  
       wherein the first and second indications are retrieved from a control data region of the optical disk.  
     
     
       48. The article of  claim 47 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       49. A computer system comprising: 
       an optical disk drive adapted to receive an optical disk; and  
       a processor coupled to the optical disk drive and adapted to:  
       designate a first region on the optical disk to store first data associated with a first compression technique;  
       designate a second region different from the first region on the optical disk to store second data associated with a second compression technique, the first compression technique being different from the second compression technique;  
       store the first data in the first region;  
       store the second data in the second region; and  
       store indications of the first and second regions in a control data region of the optical disk.  
     
     
       50. The computer system of  claim 49 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       51. A computer system comprising: 
       an optical disk drive adapted to receive an optical disk; and  
       a processor coupled to the optical disk drive and adapted to:  
       retrieve a first indication from the optical disk designating a first region associated with a first compression technique;  
       retrieve a second indication from the optical disk designating a second region associated with a second compression technique and being different from the first region, the second compression technique being different from the first compression technique;  
       retrieve first data from the first region using the first compression technique; and  
       retrieve second data from the second region using the second compression technique,  
       wherein the first and second indications are retrieved from a control data region of the optical disk.  
     
     
       52. The computer system of  claim 51  the optical disk drive comprises a DVD disk drive. 
     
     
       53. An article comprising an optical disk storing: 
       first data in a first region of the optical disk, the first data being associated with a first compression technique;  
       second data in a second region of the optical disk, the second region being different from the first region and the second data being associated with a second compression technique different from the first compression technique;  
       a first indication of the first compression technique; and  
       a second indication of the second compression technique,  
       wherein the first and second indications are stored in a control data region of the optical disk.  
     
     
       54. The article of  claim 53 , wherein 
       the optical disk has multiple layers, and  
       the optical disk stores a third indication of a location of the first region on one of the layers of the optical disk.  
     
     
       55. The article of  claim 54 , wherein the third location is stored in the control data region. 
     
     
       56. The article of  claim 54  wherein the optical disk stores a fourth indication of a location of the second region on one of the layers of the optical disk. 
     
     
       57. The article of  claim 56 , wherein the fourth location is stored in the control data region. 
     
     
       58. An optical disk adapted to be coupled to an optical disk drive and usable in association with a processor coupled to the optical disk drive, said optical disk causing the processor to: 
       designate a first region on an optical disk to store first data associated with a first compression technique;  
       designate a second region different from the first region on the optical disk to store second data associated with a second compression technique, the first compression technique being different from the second compression technique;  
       store the first data in the first region;  
       store the second data in the second region; and  
       store indications of the first and second regions in a control data region of the optical disk.  
     
     
       59. The optical disk of  claim 58 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk. 
     
     
       60. An optical disk adapted to be coupled to an optical disk drive and usable in association with a processor coupled to the optical disk drive, said optical disk causing the processor to: 
       retrieve a first indication from an optical disk designating a first region associated with a first compression technique;  
       retrieve a second indication from the optical disk designating a second region associated with a second compression technique and being different from the first region, the second compression technique being different from the first compression technique;  
       retrieve first data from the first region using the first compression technique; and  
       retrieve second data from the second region using the second compression technique, wherein at least one of the first and second indications is retrieved from a control data region of the optical disk.  
     
     
       61. The optical disk of  claim 60 , wherein the optical disk comprises a DVD disk.